Rain Alerts

If you frequently forget your umbrella, you ll be grateful for this simple, tiny, and free application. Rain Alerts not only tells you if wet weather is headed your way, but it also tells you how far away the rain is, how quickly it s moving, and the amount of time before you can expect a downpour. Clicking the utility s system-tray icon also tells you the current temperature and the weather conditions for the zip code you entered. Rain Alerts lets you plug in up to four United States zip codes, then consecutively pops up boxes telling you if any rain is on the horizon for each location. You also can simply mouse over the icon for a brief snapshot of your local weather. Sure, you can get the same information on the Internet, but we still think anyone concerned with staying dry can benefit from this unobtrusive application--especially since the price is so nice.